The develoPPP Classic Ideas Competition is a funding mechanism of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) that supports privately owned, profit-oriented companies undertaking projects in developing and emerging countries.

The programme is designed for projects where a company's long-term business interests can be combined with a clear and sustainable development benefit for people and communities in the project country.

Projects can cover a wide range of sectors and activities, including:

• Sustainable and resilient supply chains
• Training and qualification of local skilled workers
• Sustainable agricultural systems
• Long-term food security
• Innovative technologies and pilot projects
• Demonstration plants
• Environmental and social standards
• Other initiatives that combine commercial objectives with sustainable development outcomes. 

The programme is deliberately open to different ideas and approaches. The key requirement is that the project must go beyond a company's normal commercial investment and create a measurable development benefit in the target country.

Purely commercial expansion of a company's core business is therefore not eligible for develoPPP Classic funding.

What Can Be Funded?

The current develoPPP Classic programme provides funding for projects that combine:

Long-term business interest + sustainable development benefit

Examples can include projects involving:

• Development of local skills and workforce capacity.
• Sustainable agricultural production.
• Improved environmental and social standards.
• Sustainable supply chains.
• Introduction or piloting of innovative technologies.
• Demonstration facilities.
• Initiatives that improve economic, environmental or social conditions locally. 

Funding Available

Eligible projects can receive:

• Minimum public funding: €100,000
• Maximum public funding: €2 million
• Maximum public funding share: 50% of total eligible project expenditure.

The company must provide the balance of the project financing.

This is therefore not 100% grant funding. Applicants need sufficient financial strength and liquidity to make their required contribution.

Who Can Apply?

The programme is designed for established privately owned, profit-oriented companies.

The attached conditions specify that the company must:

• Be majority privately owned and profit-oriented.
• Be registered in the European Union, an EFTA member country or a country on the OECD-DAC list.
• Have a positive net income.
• Have sufficient equity capital and liquidity to finance the required company contribution.
• Have at least two audited annual financial statements.
• Have annual turnover of at least €800,000.
• Have at least eight employees.
• Have sufficient staff capacity and specialist expertise, either internally or through the partners involved in the project. 

Project Requirements

The proposed project must:

• Take place in a country included on the develoPPP Classic country list.
• Provide clear economic benefits for the participating company.
• Contribute to improving environmental, social and/or economic sustainability in the project country.
• Contribute to German development-policy objectives, particularly current BMZ priorities.
• Have a coherent project design.
• Present realistic objectives and activities.
• Demonstrate an appropriate cost-benefit ratio.
• Create structures that support the sustainability of results and changes achieved.
• Have measurable intended changes during the project period.
• Demonstrate that the project would not come about without develoPPP support.
• Comply with applicable European state-aid requirements. 

Important Development Requirement

A central feature of develoPPP Classic is that the proposed project must create a benefit beyond the participating company's own commercial interests.

The programme is intended to support projects where commercial objectives and development outcomes reinforce one another. For example, a company may invest in developing a market while also improving local skills, environmental performance, supply-chain sustainability or community-level economic opportunities.

A project that simply finances the company's ordinary expansion or core business investment is not sufficient.

Eligible Project Countries

The attached develoPPP Classic country list identifies the following possible project countries:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chad, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen and Zambia.

African Project Countries

The attached list includes a broad range of eligible African project countries, including:

Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.

This is particularly relevant for companies looking to use develoPPP Classic to develop or expand sustainable business activities in African markets.

Geographic Eligibility – Important Distinction

There are two different geographic eligibility questions:

Where is the applicant company registered?

The company must be registered in the EU, EFTA or an OECD-DAC country.

Where can the project be implemented?

The project must take place in a country included on the develoPPP Classic project-country list.

This distinction is important. A South African company, for example, may qualify as an applicant because South Africa is an OECD-DAC country, while the proposed project must also be located in a listed develoPPP project country.

Application Period

The current ideas competition runs from:

15 August – 30 September 2026

The current submission deadline is:

30 September 2026.

The programme holds the ideas competition twice each year, with submission periods in the first and third quarters.

Application Process

The application process follows several stages:

Step 1 – Information

Companies first confirm that both the company and proposed project meet the develoPPP Classic participation requirements.

Step 2 – Project Design and Documents

The applicant develops a sound project concept and prepares the required documents, including two current audited annual financial statements.

Step 3 – Application

The application is submitted through the central develoPPP application platform during the ideas competition.

Step 4 – Initial Assessment and Pre-selection

After the competition closes, applications are assessed against standard criteria.

The initial assessment normally takes approximately six weeks. The selected implementing partner then informs the company whether the project idea can be pursued in principle.

Step 5 – Detailed Concept

Projects that pass the initial stage are developed further with the selected implementing partner.

Step 6 – Second Assessment and Contract

The detailed project concept, schedule and budget undergo a second assessment. A positive result leads to a contract between the company and the implementing partner. This stage normally takes approximately 3–4 weeks.

Step 7 – Project Start

Following contract conclusion, the project can begin.

Applicants should allow approximately six months between application and project start as an indicative overall preparation period.

Project Assessment / Selection

Applications are individually assessed for quality using standardised criteria.

The assessment considers whether:

• The company meets the programme's participation requirements.
• The proposed project has a clear and credible development impact.
• The project combines a genuine long-term business interest with sustainable development benefits.
• The project design is coherent.
• The objectives and activities are realistic.
• The cost-benefit relationship is appropriate.
• Results will be measurable and sustainable.
• The project provides benefits beyond the company's normal commercial activities.
• The project could reasonably not be implemented without develoPPP support. 

Implementing Partner Choice

Applicants have two implementing partners available:

DEG Impulse

DEG Impulse is particularly focused on projects that the partner company can implement largely independently on the ground. It brings financial expertise, business knowledge and links within the KfW Group and may provide a starting point for further DEG funding.

GIZ

GIZ is particularly suited to projects that require technical support on site, local networks and regional expertise. GIZ brings technical knowledge, international development experience and networks with governments, businesses and public institutions.

The applicant should therefore consider the nature of the proposed project, rather than treating the choice of implementing partner as purely administrative.

Limitations

Applicants should take particular note of the following:

• Only majority privately owned and profit-oriented companies are eligible.
• Minimum annual turnover is €800,000.
• Minimum staffing requirement is eight employees.
• The company must have at least two audited annual financial statements.
• The company must have sufficient liquidity and equity to fund its required contribution.
• The project must be in an eligible develoPPP project country.
• The project must create a development benefit beyond the company's ordinary commercial activity.
• Purely commercial investment or expansion of the company's core business is not eligible.
• The project must be measurable and designed for sustainable results. 

Industry / Sector

Multi-sector

develoPPP Classic is deliberately flexible and can support projects across different industries and thematic areas, provided the proposed intervention combines a long-term business interest with sustainable development benefits.

Examples specifically highlighted by the programme include:

• Agriculture and food systems
• Skills development and vocational training
• Sustainable supply chains
• Environmental sustainability
• Social and labour standards
• Innovative technologies
• Resource-efficient production and other sustainable development activities.

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